Having had to wear Tuesday's 10-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres like a bad haircut and endure the musical taunting of a smart-ass radio station from The City of Cows since Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers get a chance to redeem themselves, not a minute too soon, when the Minnesota Wild come calling at Rexall Place tonight.

After 72 hours of torment, the Oilers get the opportunity to prove that Tuesday's "debacle of monumental proportions" was a fluky, freakish one-off never to be repeated. Same thing for that, ahem, 9-2 starching from the Chicago Blackhawks... never mind.

What better circumstances to do it in than against a Minnesota team that arrives with the exact same record, 24-20-3 for 51 points, and is probably still reeling from Tuesday's 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs... never mind.

That aside, the Oilers come into this HUGE FOUR-POINTER with untold confidence and a flawless 0-10 record against Backstrom after having lit him up like a cheap cigar in a 5-1 loss in Minnesota Jan. 15... never mind.

What could possibly wrong?

Second look for Potulny

Look for Ryan Potulny to be back in the line-up tonight on the second line between Robert Nilsson and Erik Cole. After tallying three assists in four games during his first stint, Potulny is eager to show well again after being recalled from Springfield.

"Hopefully, things can go the same way they did last time," Potulny said of getting another crack alongside Cole.

"I guess there's a little bit of pressure, but it's a good pressure. Any time you come up you’re going to put pressure on yourself. You have to do whatever role you're put in. I'm just going to go out and play hockey."

If coach Craig MacTavish wasn't pulling any fast ones with his lines this morning -- like his little bit of mis-direction over Zack Stortini's readiness to play the last time out -- the line-up should look as follows:

Forwards

Penner – Horcoff - Hemsky

Nilsson – Potulny – Cole

Moreau – Cogliano – Pouliot

Macintyre – Brodziak – Reddox

OUT: Stortini

D-men

Souray – Gilbert

Grebeshkov – Visnovsky

Smid – Staios

OUT: Strudwick

Dwayne Roloson will get the start in goal against his former teammates despite getting yanked after allowing three goals on eight shots against Buffalo.

-- Listen to Robin Brownlee every Thursday from 4 to 6pm on Just A Game with Jason Gregor on TEAM 1260.

A sports writer since 1983, including stints at The Edmonton Journal and The Sun 1989-2007, I happily co-host the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260 twice a week and write when so inclined. Have the best damn lawn on the internet. Most important, I am Sam's dad. Follow me on Twitter at Robin_Brownlee. Or don't.

Jack “slacking off at work” Bauer wrote:
Yes we did.
Much like Vancouver stole that song the Coyotes use when they score a goal.
Although so did like 18 other teams in the league. Ugh, I just threw up all over myself at the thought of sticking up for the Canucks. I’m going to go burn all my skin off.

I study with a Canucks fan here at school. Surely I can burn his skin off in your stead...

I Am The Law wrote:
@ jeanshorts:
Yes, it seems so. Although they do have a good opening theme (minus the Gladiator from last year, or two years ago): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi5nCd1ZVrw
I am of the mind that Offspring song the Oil come out to is garbage

The Leafs were coming out to Coldplay in their last two home games. When I saw that, I knew how that game was going to turn out.

When I first heard that this year I was so dissapointed. And when I was actually there in person it was even worse. They need to play something that makes people want to punch everyone beside them in the face. Not some toe tapping high school garage band jam.

The one time they let me and BM work the boom box inside the scoreboard, we ended up breaking the lights and caused a 20 minute delay. And I'm pretty sure some babies died of colic because of it. YOU DO THE MATH!